Rack for stacked articles



July 30, 1968 FlNEBERG ETAL 3,394,818

RACK FOR STACKED ARTICLES Filed Aug. 22, 1966 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 INVENTOR. Berizz'e Fkrzebeqg and y 0, 1968 B. FINEBERG ETAL 3,394,318

RACK FOR STACKED ARTICLES Filed Aug. 22, 1966 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 F INZZNTOR. J Bernie -'rze an BY Gearye 60%?(20;

WWW-m1 ATTORNEK United States Patent 3,394,818 RACK FOR STACKED ARTICLES Bernie Fineberg, 1 Lamson Road, Tonawanda, N.Y. 14150, and George Goldstein, 224 St. Lawrence Ave., Buffalo, N.Y. 14216 Filed Aug. 22, 1966, Ser. No. 574,120 11 Claims. (Cl. 211-104) ABSTRACT OF THE DISCLOSURE A rack construction for supporting stacked articles above a substantially horizontal surface and for causing the stacked articles to tilt rearwardly consisting of a wire frame having an elongated member defining a rear edge with a plurality of wire rods having first ends secured to the elongated member and having first portions thereof extending transversely of said elongated member for defining a substantially planar upper surface, second portions extending downwardly from said first portions to define a front edge which is spaced from the rear edge, third portions of said wire rod extending in a direction toward said rear edge, and fourth portions extending upwardly from the third portions for supplying a vertical support to said first portions in between said front and rear edges, and an elongated angle-like member attached to said front edge to both hold said Wire rods together at said front edge and to provide a shield against the entry of foreign matter into the rack. In addition, the foregoing rack construction is used in conjunction with a back rest comprising a wire rack having upper and lower parallel edges with elongated wire rods joining said upper and lower edges and a plurality of U-shaped members increasing in length from said upper edge to said lower edge for holding said frame at an angle to a vertical wall.

The present invention relates to an improved rack construction for stacked articles, such as cartons of soft drinks.

In present day grocery stores and supermarkets where the self-service system is employed, cabinets are provided for stacking the various food products. These cabinets are commonly called gondolas, which are essentially free standing arrangements mounted on the floor and having a substantially horizontal base and a substantially vertical rear wall extending upwardly therefrom. In the past when cartons of soft drink bottles were placed in stacked relationship on the horizontal base, the rows were relatively wobbly and many times a cart-on would fall onto the floor or onto the horizontal base with resulting breakage. It is with the providing of an improved rack construction for stacking articles such as cartons of soft drink bottles relative to a horizontal base and an adjacent vertical wall in an extremely stable and efficient manner and which effectively overcomes the problem of breakage that the present invention is concerned.

It is accordingly one object of the present invention to provide an improved rack construction for supporting cartons of soft drink bottles or the like on a horizontal base in a rearwardy tilted attitude to thereby tend to obviate the falling of cartons of bottles from upper rows, thereby, in turn, tending to eliminate breakage in the handling of such cartons of soft drinks.

Another object of the present invention is to provide a rack construction of the foregoing type which can be attached to the horizontal and vertical walls of any gondola or the like in an extremely simple and expedient manner and which can easily be moved and replaced for periodic cleaning underneath the rack.

A further object of the present invention is to provide an improved rack construction for stacking articles such as cartons of soft drink bottles in staggered relationship to thereby stabilize the rows by obviating continuous vertical crevices extending through the entire depth of the stacked articles.

Yet another object of the present invention is to provide an improved rack construction for supporting stacked articles such as soft drink bottles, or the like, which is relatively inexpensive to fabricate because it utilizes relatively small amounts of relatively thin wire rods because the manner of fabrication provides the required strength. Other objects and attendant advantages of the present invention will readily be perceived hereafter.

The improved rack construction of the present invention includes a first rack for resting on the horizontal base of a gondola or floor or shelf, said rack including a rear edge, a front edge, and a substantially planar surface defined by wire rods attached therebetween. The planar surface inclines downwardly toward the rear edge to thereby cause articles placed on the rack to tilt rearwardly.

The wire rods extend transversely between the front and rear portions of the rack, and include bent continuations which elevate the front of the rack and which extend vertically to support the upper planar surface intermediate the front and rear edges to thereby provide increased strength to the rack and permit relatively thin wire rod material to be used in its fabrication. The rear edge is pivotally mounted relative to the horizontal base to permit the rack to be swung upwardly, when empty, to provide access to the base for cleaning.

A back rest is also provided. The back rest includes a planar wire frame having an upper edge and a lower edge and projections extending rearwardly from the wire frame to cause the lower edge to extend further from a vertical wall than the upper edge. The surface of the back rest extends substantially perpendicularly to the planar surface of the lower rack to squarely receive the cartons on the rack in abutting relationship. The back rest is preferably pivotally mounted at its upper edge to permit it to be pivoted upwardly about its pivotal mounting for access to the Wall for cleaning. Means project from the face of the back rest to stagger certain of the articles relative to others. In addition dividers are provided which are essentially wire frames which are attached to the wall and extend perpendicularly to the first and second racks to provide dividers therebetween. The various aspects of the present invention will be more fully understood by the following portions of the specification read in conjunction with the accompanying drawings wherein:

FIGURE 1 is a perspective view of a rack for a base and a back rest for a wall and also showing fragmentary portions of like articles;

FIGURE 2 is a side elevational View showing the relationship between a rack and back rest relative to a base and wall of a cabinet; and

FIGURE 3 is a perspective view of a wire frame which is used as a divider between adjacent pairs of racks and back rests.

The improved rack construction of the present invention includes a rack frame 10 which is adapted to be placed on the horizontal base 11 of a gondola or shelf, a back rest frame 12 which is adapted to be mounted on a wall 13 extending substantially perpendicularly to base 11, and a divider frame 14 which is adapted to be attached to the wall 13 for placement between adjacent pairs of frames 10 and 12. The improved rack construction will be described relative to soft drink cartons of the type where a cardboard container holds six or eight bottles. However, it will be appreciated that it has equal utility with other types of packages such as boxes, canned goods, and the like.

As can be seen from FIGURE 1, rack includes a first wire rod which forms the rear edge of the frame. A plurality of wire rods 16 extend substantially perpendicularly to rear edge 15 and have first ends attached thereto by suitable welding, or the like. The wire rods 16 include first portions 17 which lie substantially parallel to each other and thus define an upper planar surface which provides a base on which the above mentioned soft drink cartons rest. Rod portions 17 merge into portions 18 which form the front edge of the rack. As can be seen from the drawings the upper surface of rack 10 inclines downwardly toward the rear edge 15 and thus any article placed on the surface defined by portions 17 will tilt rearwardly.

The front portions 18 are secured relative to each other by angle member 19 having portion 20 which shields the inside of rack 10 against the entry of foreign matter from the front edge. In addition angle 19 includes an upper portion 21 which fits against the front portions of rod portions 17. It will readily be appreciated that, in fabrication, the front portions of rod 16, after having been bent to the configuration shown in the drawings can be aligned by being placed in abutting relationship with angle 19 and thereafter the angle 19 is welded to each of the rods to provide the desired finished configuration.

Rod portions 18 merge into horizontal portions 22 which extend toward rear edge 15. Portions 22 provide a good firm base which elevates the plane defined by upper portion 17 to its desired inclined rearwardly oriented position. Portions 22 merge into vertically oriented portions 23 which in turn merge into portions 24 which underlie their respective rod portions 17 and are secured thereto by welding, or the like. Portions 23 provide a vertical support intermediate the ends of rod portions 17 to thereby prevent excessive bending of the latter when the rack is subjected to the load of soft drink bottles and their contents stacked about four deep, three high, and four to five across, as will be apparent from the dimensions set forth hereafter. It will be appreciated that by using vertical portions 23 a lighter gauge metal can be used for rods 16 than would have been required if portions 23 were absent. In addition by locating portions 23 in the position shown in the drawings the necessity for continuing portions 22 into engagement with rod 15 is obviated thereby saving about a third of the material which would otherwise have been required.

It will be appreciated that the base 11 may become dirty incidental to use, as the result of deposit of foreign matter. Accordingly, provision is made for lifting rack 10 in order to clean base 11. To this end brackets 44 are provided. Each of these brackets include a circular portion which receives a part of rear edge rod 15 and a pair of apertures not numbered which receive a screw not numbered which attaches the bracket 44 to base 11. However when cleaning is desired it is merely necessary to swing rack 10 in a counterclockwise direction about the pivot provided by rod 15 in FIG. 2, thereby to obtain access to base 11. After the cleaning has been completed it is merely necessary to pivot rack 10 in the opposite direction to thereby return it to the same original predetermined position which it occupied before it was lifted. If it is desired to remove the rack from shelf 11, in the event that it is desired to utilize base 11 for another product which does not require stacking in the same manner, it is merely necessary to loosen the screws and remove the rack 10. As is obvious it can be relocated in another position with relative ease.

As noted briefly above, rack 10, by being rearwardly inclined, Will cause articles carried thereby to also assume a rearwardly inclined attitude. This, as stated briefly above, will tend to prevent the top articles from falling onto the floor.

In order to complete the assembly and provide an extremely stable stacked arrangement, a back rest frame 12 is provided for placement against vertical wall 13. It will be appreciated that the articles to be stacked on the rack 10 are substantially square in the sense that their base and sides extend at substantially right angles. This being the case, since the rack 10 causes the articles to be rearwardly inclined, they will not rest squarely against rear wall 13. Accordingly, back rest 12 provides a surface which extends substantially perpendicularly to the surface defined by the top of rack 10 to thereby provide a square rest for the articles supported on rack 10.

Back rest 12 includes an upper wire rod 26 which defines an upper edge and a wire rod 27 which de'fines a lower edge. Rods 28 form the edges of the back rest and are secured to rods 26 and 27, as by welding. Extending between rods '27 and 26 are rods 29. A horizontal rod 30 is secured to the face of rack 12, as by welding, and helps maintain the rack in its planar configuration. A plurality of relatively short U-shaped members 31' have legs 31 attached to horizontal rod 30 and extend rearwardly therefrom. A plurality of substantially U-shaped members 32' have legs 32, which are longer than legs 31, attached to lower rod 27 and extend rearwardly therefrom. The bases 33 of U-shaped members 31 lie in a line through rod 26 and base 34 of members 32 (see FIG. 3). Therefore when frame 12 is placed up against wall 13, bases 33 and 34 of U-shaped members 31 and 32, respectively, will also rest up against the wall 13. Thus U-shaped members 31 and 32 will provide a good firm support for frame 12 against wall 13. As noted previously, the length of the legs of the 'U-shaped members 31 and 32 is selected so as to cause the planar face of the rack .12 to extend substantially perpendicularly to the surface defined by rack 10.

As noted above relative to rack 10, it is sometimes necessary to have access to wall 13 for cleaning. To this end brackets 35 are provided. Each bracket includes a circular portion which encircles rod 26 and another portion having aligned apertures not numbered for receiving a screw (not numbered) which attaches brackets 35 to wall 13. The mounting is sufiiciently loose so that rod 26 can pivot within brackets 35, and this pivotal motion is effected by lifting the bottom edge of frame 12 away from wall 13 to thereby cause the rack to pivot about rod 26 as an axis. This will permit access to the space between frame 12 and wall 13 for cleaning. Upon release, frame 12 will drop into the position shown in the drawings to thereby assume its abutting relationship with wall 13. It will be appreciated that it returns to a position which it originally occupied without any requirement for manipulation on the part of the person who lifted the rack. If it is desired to remove frame 12 from its position on wall 13 it is merely necessary to loosen the screws associated with brackets 35. Reinstallation in another location is equally easy, as is readily apparent.

Divider frames 14 are provided for permitting division of sections of the racks provided by adjacent pairs of frames 12 and 10. Divider rack 14 includes a U-shaped portion 36 having horizontal legs 37 and 38 and vertical portion 39. Cross members 40 and 41 are secured to upper and lower legs 37 and 38 and to each other, as by welding. Legs 37 and 38 terminate in perpendicular portions 42 and 43, respectively, and these portions extend in opposite directions. Brackets 50, which are identical to brackets 35 and 44, may be used to secure divider 14 in a relatively stable manner relative to wall 13. The dividers 14 can thus segregate different sections of a gondola for different products. Removal of divider frame 14 is relatively simple inasmuch as it requires only the removal of the brackets which fasten it to the wall.

As noted above, a rod 30 extends horizontally across the face of vertically oriented rack 12. This rod serves the additional function of staggering the horizontal row of articles which abut it relative to the row immediately below this row. More specifically it can readily be seen that if the articles, such as soft drink carrying packs are of substantially the same size, if the back rest 12 provided a substantially planar surface, vertical rows of articles would have continuous crevices running vertically between them. However by utilizing rod 30 an upper horizontal row is staggered relative to a lower horizontal row so that these vertical crevices do not exist and a more stable stacked arrangement is provided. In addition the horizontal row of articles which abuts rod 30 extends forwardly of the row below it and thus provides somewhat of a ledge extending beyond the row stacked immediately above it. This also tends to stabilize the stacked relationship and also further tends to minimize the possibility of cartons pivoting onto the floor.

It is to be noted that a space or clearance 25 exists between rod 15, forming the rear edge of rack and rod 27, forming the lower edge of rack 12 (FIG. 2). This clearance permits each of the racks to be swung relative to each other without interference. More specifically, upper rack 12 can be swung upwardly from the wall without hitting the rear edge of rack 10. In addition, rack 10 can be swung upwardly and, in its vertical position, rested against rack 12 so that it need not be held in a vertical position when base 11 is being cleaned. In addition, the rack 10 is located relative to rack 12 so that an extension of rod portions 17 will substantially intersect rod 27. This permits the base 11 itself to be used for supporting portions of the cartons.

In addition, by making the length of rod portions 17 relatively short, the rack 10 is universal in its application in that it can be mounted on different sized gondolas with equal facility. In this respect, assuming rod portions 17 are nineteen inches long, the rack 10 will fit on bases having a depth of nineteen, twenty-four or thirty inches. The difference between the positioning on each of the foregoing sizes of bases merely amounts to providing a different spacing 25. In other words, by varying the space 25, the above described rack unit can be mounted on any size gondola.

Typical dimensions of rack 10 are: 19 inches wide; 3 inches high at the front edge; and 31 inches long. The wire rod is approximately 4 inch in diameter. Typical dimensions of back rest 12 are: 31 inches long and 25 inches high. U-shaped members 31' and 32' are 2 /2 inches deep and 3% inches deep respectively. The wire rod is approximately inch in diameter. Typical dimensions of a carton of six soft drink bottles, including the bottles is: 7% inches long; 5% inches wide; and 9% inches high. Rod 30 is located approximately 13 inches above rod 27. Therefore it will abut the second horizontal row of cartons. The cartons are preferably placed with the 7% inch dimension against back rest 12.

It can thus be seen that the improved rack construction of the present invention has the advantage of providing cleanliness and ventilation behind and below the product. In addition, breakage is avoided by the inclined and stable manner in which the cartons are mounted in the racks. Because of the uniformity which the rack construction produces on the stacked articles, there is also a beautification of the display.

While preferred embodiments of the present invention have been described, it will readily be appreciated that it is not limited thereto but may be otherwise embodied within the scope of the following claims.

What is claimed is:

1. A rack construction for supporting stacked articles above a substantially horizontal surface and for causing said stacked articles to tilt rearwardly comprising a wire frame having a front edge and a rear edge and spaced wire rods effectively extending between said front edge and said rear edge to define a substantially planar upper surface, means located proximate said front edge for in clining said planar upper surface downwardly toward said rear edge when said frame rests on said substantially horizontal surface, and means for fastening said frame relative to said substantially horizontal surface and for permitting movement of said frame relative to said horizontal surface to permit access to said horizontal surface and for insuring return of said rack to a predetermined position on said substantially horizontal surface, and a back rest for use in conjunction with said wire frame, said back rest including a substantially planar vertically oriented surface extending substantially perpendicularly to said upper surface of said wire frame, and means for movably attaching said back rest relative to a wall which extends substantially perpendicularly to said substantially horizontal surface, said means for movably attaching said back rest permitting access to said wall for cleaning purposes and for causing said back rest to return to a predetermined position on said Wall.

2. A rack construction as set forth in claim 1 including means mounted on said back rest and extending outwardly from said substantially planar vertically oriented surface for causing certain of said stacked articles to be staggered relative to adjacent like articles thereby to provide a stable stacked arrangement.

3. A rack construction as set forth in claim 1 wherein said back rest comprises a second wire frame having an upper edge and a lower edge, means extending rearwardly from said substantially planar vertically oriented surface for resting against said wall for causing the lower portion of said vertically oriented surface to lie a greater distance from said wall than the upper portion of said vertically oriented surface.

4. A rack construction as set forth in claim 1 wherein said means for movably attaching said back rest relative to said wall comprises hinge means effectively connecting the upper portion of said back rest to said wall,

5. A rack construction as set forth in claim 3 wherein said upper edge of said second frame includes second wire rod means, and second clip means pivotally mounted on said second wire rod means and adapted to be secured to said wall for permitting said lower portion of said second frame to pivot upwardly away from said horizontal surface.

6. A rack construction as set forth in claim 1 including third frame means, and means for attaching said third frame means relative to said wall and said horizontal surface to cause said third frame means to extend substantially perpendicularly to both said wire frame and said second wire frame.

7. A rack construction comprising a wire frame including an elongated member for defining a first edge of said frame, a plurality of wire rods having first ends secured to said elongated member and having first portions extending transversely of said elongated member for defining a substantially planar upper surface, second portions formed on each of said wire rods and extending downwardly relative to said first portions to define a second edge of said rack which is spaced from said first edge, third portions on said wire rods extending from said second portions in a direction toward said first edge, fourth portions extending upwardly from said third portions and effectively secured to said first portions for supplying a vertical support to said first portions intermediate said first and second edges, and means spaced from said elongated members for joining said wire rods together at positions remote from said elongated member.

8. A rack construction as set forth in claim 10 wherein said third portions of said wire rods extend only partially between said first and second edges.

9. A rack construction as set forth in claim 7 wherein said last-mentioned means comprises a plate member having a substantially planar portion extending across said second portions of said wire rods for securing said second portions to each other and for acting as a shield to prevent foreign matter from entering between said wire rods from said second edge.

10. A rack construction as set forth in claim 9 wherein said plate member includes a second planar portion attached thereto for forming an angle with said substantially planar portion, said second planar portion overlying a portion of said first portions of said wire rods.

11. A wire rack for providing a back rest for articles inclined relative to a vertical wall comprising a wire frame having an upper edge and a lower edge, said upper edge comprising a first elongated wire rod, said lower edge comprising an elongated member extending substantially parallel to said first elongated wire rod, second wire rods extending transversely to said first wire rod and said elongated member and attached therebetween to define a substantially planar surface, and projections comprising substantially U-shaped members extending rearwardly from said frame for abutting said substantially vertical wall and thereby orienting said substantially planar surface in predetermined relationship to said wall, said U- shaped members being located in rows and including relatively short members located intermediate said upper and lower edges and relatively long members located proximate said lower edges.

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,262,088 11/1941 Bofenkarnp et a1 211-181 2,620,073 12/1952 Meyers 2l1-71 XR 2,790,556 4/1957 Burt 211-71 XR 2,859,880 11/1958 Barnes 211181XR 3,043,441 7/1962 Dumford 21l18l XR 3,203,553 8/1965 Pendergrast 21149 ROY D. FRAZIER, Primary Examiner.

W D. LOULAN, Assistant Examiner. 

